Adjustable church kneeler



Sept. 6, 1966 w. HAHNLEIN ADJUSTABLE CHURCH KNEELER Filed May 5, 1965 "(II III;

mill 4/1 1 am Min/91 INVENTOR. WHANN a McMA/V/GAL Af/ameys for A l/Emr/ United States Patent 3,271,074 ADJUSTABLE CHURCH KNEELER William Hahnlein, Glendale, Califl, assignor to Hamlin Manufacturing Co., a corporation of California Filed May 3, 1965, Ser. No. 452,729 4 Claims. (Cl. 297-426) The present invention relates generally to kneeling benches or kneelers such as utilized in connection with church benches or pews, and is more particularly concerned with improved adjustable mounting means therefor.

Kneelers or kneeling benches of the type with which the present invention is concerned conventionally are constructed so as to include a cushioned bench which is supported for translatory movement by means of end arms and in some installations include one or more arms which are positioned between the end arms. These arms are arranged to be pivotally connected to the vertical supports of seats and pews in a manner to permit their being easily moved to a lower extended position of use for the kneeling bench and to an out-of-the-way position of nonuse so as to provide walking space between the pews or rows of seats.

In the usual type of kneeler construction, a problem arises during installation due to the fact that the spacing positions of the arms must be adapted to the spacing positions of the vertical supports of the seats and pews. Where the arms are fixedly connected with the kneeling bench, the obtaining of correct spacing of the arms becomes a major consideration and is often time consuming. In the present invention, it is proposed to provide an adjustable connection between the supporting arms and the kneeling bench which will permit selective adjustable positioning of the arms along the length of the bench.

It has also been a problem in kneeler arrangements to obtain a proper spacing of the kneeling bench with respect to the pivotal connection of the supporting arms. In the present invention, it is an object to provide connection means between the arms and the kneeling bench which will enable the kneeler bench to be slightly shifted towards and away from the pivotal supports of the bracket arms, and thus obtain a correct positioning of the bench.

Conventional kneelers have heretofore embodied sup porting legs which are adapted to engage the underlying floor surface when the kneeler is in a position of use. Such legs form a floor obstruction which is undesirable, and are also undesirably exposed when the kneeler is in a raised or non-use position. In the present invention, it is also an object to eliminate the undesirable leg supports for the kneeling bench by providing arms which are so arranged that they provide cantilever supports for the kneeler. The kneeler is thus held above the floor in spaced relation, and the heretofore objectionable legs have been eliminated.

Further objects of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification, wherein detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitations thereon.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only:

FIG. 1 is a perspective rear view of a church bench or pew having a kneeler of the present invention attached thereto, the kneeler being shown in an extended position of use;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken substantially on line 22 of FIG. 1, and wherein the kneeler is shown in full lines in a position of use, and the raised non-use position is shown in phantom lines;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary detailed view partially in section, taken sulbstantially on line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the bracket for connecting the kneeling bench with the supporting arms, showing details of construction.

Referring generally to the drawings, for illustrative purposes, the present invention is shown as being utilized with a conventional church pew 10 having a seat portion 11 and back portion 12 supported upon a plurality of vertical end supports 13 and 14 between which there is positioned an intermediate vertical support 15.

The kneeler includes an elongate cushioned bench 16 having a rigid base 17. The base is further rigidified by a central longitudinally extending bottom rail 18 which is fabricated with outwardly diverging side walls to provide transversely a dovetail structure.

As shown in FIG. 1, the kneeling bench 16 is mounted at the outermost ends of a plurality of swingable arm supports 19 which are respectively operatively supported on the end supports 13-14 and intermediate support 15 of the pew in a manner which will permit, as shown in FIG. 2, swinging movement of the bench 16 from a position of use as shown in full lines, to a position of nonuse as shown in phantom lines.

Since each of the arms 19 is similarly supported for pivotal movement, it will only be necessary to explain in detail the pivotal mounting structure for one of these arms. As best shown in FIG. 2, the innermost end of the arm 19 is constructed with a downwardly curved end portion 20 which is rotatably supported upon a pivot 21 having offset relation to the main longitudinal axis of the arm 19. As thus arranged, the outermost end of the arm'1'9 will be in raised position above the underlying floor surface and the pivot 21, when the kneeling bench is in a position of use. The pivot 21 is carried by a mounting plate 22 which is affixed to the adjacent side surface of the pew support, in this case the intermediate support 15, by means of mounting screws 23'. The mounting plate 22 also carries a stop projection 24 which will engage the arm 19 when it is swung to the non-use position of the kneeling bench. Another stop projection 25 limits the downward swinging movement of the arm 19 at the use position of the kneeling bench. It will be observed that, when the stop 25 is engaged by the arm 19, the outermost end portion of the arm projects substantially horizontally above the floor surface with the arm thus forming a cantilever support for the kneeling bench. Thus, the space below the arm is free of any undesirable supporting legs or other obstructions.

It will be appreciated that in order to properly install a kneeling bench on a pew structure, the arms 19 must be properly and accurately spaced with reference -to the vertical pew supports. In present structures, wherein the outermost ends of the arms are non-adjustably attached to the kneeling bench, a great deal of time is required in order to individually accommodate and install each kneeler bench. According to one of the principle features of the present invention, a connection bracket 26 is provided for securing the arms to the kneeling bench in such a manner that the arms may be adjustably positioned longitudinally of the bench axis. The connection bracket also is arranged to permit later-a1 adjustable positioning of the kneeling bench axially of the outermost ends of the supporting arms 19' so that the kneeling bench may be slightly varied in directions towards and away from the supporting arm pivots 21. This is accomplished by providing a connection bracket structure, as shown in FIG. 4, in which the upper portion of the bracket body is constructed with a groove 27 which is complimentary to the dovetail configuration of the bottom rail 18 and permits relative sliding movement and adjustment of the bracket with respect to the longitudinal axis of the rail. The bracket may be fixedly secured in adjusted position on the rail by means of a retaining set screw 28 in threaded engagement with the threaded opening 29.

In right angled relation to the axis of groove 27, the bracket is constructedwith a depending or under portion having an open ended socket 30 therein which is adapted to receive the outer end portion of an arm 19 therein. An adjustable slide connection is thus provided which permits the bracket 26 with the kneeling bench thereon to be adjustably positioned towards and away from the arm pivot 21. Once the desired position is found, the arm end may be retained against movement within the socket by means of a set screw 31, as shown in FIG. 3.

Various modifications may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention, and hence, I do not wish to be restricted to the specific form shown or uses mentioned except to the extent indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A kneeler of the character described, comprising:

(a) an elongate kneeling bench;

(b) fixed bracket means adapted to be mounted on a flat surface of a supporting structure and having a projecting pivot member;

(c) means supporting said kneeling bench for translatory movement between positions of use and non-use, including a swingable bracket arm having one end rotatably movable on said pivot member and the other end connected to said bench; and

(d) spaced stop members adjacent said pivot member respectively engaged with the bracket arm in the nonuse and the use positions of said bench, said bracket arm in the use position providing a cantilever for supporting the bench independently of an underlying floor surface.

2. In a kneeler of the character described having translatory movement between positions of use and non-use:

(a) an elongate kneeling bench;

(b) a plurality of spaced arms pivotally supported for swinging movements; and

(c) means adjustably connecting the outer end of each arm to the kneeling bench for relatively selectively changing the position of the bench laterally and lengthwise of the arm axis, said means including a bracket member having connector elements in right angled relation, one of said elements being variably connectable with the kneeler bench along its longitudinal axis, and the other of said elements being variably connectable with the arm along its longitudinal axis.

3. In a kneeler of the character described having translatory movement between positions of use and non-use:

(a) an elongate kneeling bench having a longitudinally extending bottom rail member;

(b) a plurality of spaced arms pivotally supported for swinging movements; and

(c) a bracket at the outer end of each arm adjustably connectable at selected positions on said rail to vary the arm position therealong, and adjustably connectable at selected positions lengthwise of the outer end of the arm to vary the distance of the bench from the arm pivot.

4. In a kneeler of the character described having translatory movement between positions of use and non-use:

(a) an elongate kneeling bench having a longitudinally extending bottom rail member;

(b) bench supporting means including a plurality of spaced pivoted arms providing cantilever supports for the bench in its position of use; and

(c) bracket connector means between each arm and said rail including an adjustable slide connection with said rail, and a socket for adjustably receiving the outer end of the associated arm.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,856,297 5/1932 St. Marie et al. 297426 2,481,970 9/ 1949 Bell 297425 2,728,380 12/ 1955 Powers 29773 3,023,049 2/196-2 Hilliard 297426 3,107,122 10/1963 Jacobi 297426 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

J. T. MCCALL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A KNEELER OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, COMPRISING: (A) AN ELONGATE KNEELING BENCH; (B) FIXED BRACKET MEANS ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED ON A FLAT SURFACE OF A SUPPORTING STRUCTURE AND HAVING A PROJECTING PIVOT MEMBER; (C) MEANS SUPPORTING SAID KNEELING BENCH FOR TRANSLATORY MOVEMENT BETWEEN POSITIONS OF USE AND NON-USE, INCLUDING A SWINGABLE BRACKET ARM HAVING ONE END ROTATABLY MOVABLE ON SAID PIVOT MEMBER AND THE OTHER END CONNECTED TO SAID BENCH; AND (D) SPACED STOP MEMBERS ADJACENT SAID PIVOT MEMBER RESPECTIVELY ENGAGED WITH THE BRACKET ARM IN THE NONUSE AND THE USE POSITIONS OF SAID BENCH, SAID BRACKET ARM IN THE USE POSITION PROVIDING A CANTILEVER FOR SUPPORTING THE BENCH INDEPENDENTLY OF AN UNDERLYING FLOOR SURFACE. 